Sherlock: Alone on the Water by MadLori - I don't know when I became a person who reads deathfic, but this one had so many reviews (and I've heard good things about the author's other fic), so I decided to try it. And, despite my not usually being one to read such fics, this one pulled me in and wouldn't let me go, even when I couldn't bear to read it all in one sitting. I had to take little breaks from it because it was just so unrelentingly heart-wrenching in a rather undramatic way, almost pragmatic about it, and that's what made it hurt all the more. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous fic and one that pulls out so much from this relationship between Sherlock and John, one that plucked the strings of my own dealings with grief and loss, but in a way that didn't leave me resentful, but instead glad that I had read this fic. The point isn't about making the characters suffer, it's about examining them in times of suffering, and that makes it one of the most impactful reads I've yet found in this fandom. (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: Marriage by Ryssabeth - I love that this fic starts out with Sherlock practically able to read John's mind, which is hilarious, but also really kind of sweet. I loved this fic for being humorous without the point being comedy, that it was just... a light-hearted, yet insightful and meaningful, look at the relationship between Sherlock and John, where they're not friends, but they're not lovers, but something that's much harder to define. It's a short piece, but it's lovely. ♥ (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: The Case Of The Suicidal Brother by Jennistar1 - Oh, this author. I was a little hesitant to read this fic, because I wasn't sure I could see Mycroft as being suicidal, but I quickly realized that that wasn't really the point of this fic. Instead, it was about how Sherlock sees his brother, how he dislikes him just as much as he idolizes him in his own way, that Mycroft is nearly invincible. This author is quickly turning me into a greedy thing for all things with the Holmes brothers, by writing their relationship as complicated and understated, yet giving me intense feelings bombs, because, oh, the ending of this fic just lay waste to my fannish heart. (No warnings/pairings. Maybe a bit Sherlock/John background, but it could just as easily be gen.)

Sherlock: Action Man by thesardine - [Note: There are SPOILERS for The Reichenbach Fall in this fic and this rec.] This is one of the first Mycroft pieces I read on my spree over the last few days, one of the ones that tipped me even further into being interested in his character and the way he interacts with his younger brother. This is a beautiful look at their childhood and their adulthood, how Sherlock was so self-centered and spoiled and impossible even then, putting a burden on poor little Mycroft and yet... it's not all bad, you can see why he cares about Sherlock and, oh, the scenes from when they were children are gorgeous. It's a dark look at these characters who have darkness in them (but not beyond what's in the series itself) and some of the scenes--especially those with Moriarty--are downright chilling. (No warnings/pairings.)

Sherlock: Other People's Sleeves by fourthduckling - [Note: There are SPOILERS for The Reichenbach Fall in this fic and this rec.] This is another gorgeous look at Sherlock and John's relationship, set through the lens of Sherlock's interaction with other people. Mostly it's a conversation with Irene Adler, set just after A Scandal in Belgravia, these two incredibly sharp characters who have such presence in the scene. And I love that it achieves that balance between a Sherlock/John relationship and yet maybe being gen or just... something in between the two. The final scene of this piece, especially with Moriarty's line about burning the heart out of Sherlock, and the killer final line, are all gorgeous. An excellent read. (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: Anything by babydragon7 - [Note: There are SPOILERS for The Reichenbach Fall in this fic and this rec.] There are times when I want the immediate aftermath of 2x03. There are times when I want the reunion period, post-Reichenbach. And then there are times when I want a bit of time to have passed, so that there's still a thread of tension, but it's mostly forgiven and they've moved on, even if it's still occasionally a sore point. And this was such a delightful piece, Sherlock prodding at the wound in his usual obnoxious way, but you get why he does it, and just. The things John has gone through for him. Hilarious. (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: I’ll show you mine… by babydragon7 - This was fun! It was fun for the slashy situation (where Sherlock needs to see John's cock for a case, which John is like UH NO but Sherlock is Sherlock about it) and even more fun for the way it becomes about boundaries and what John lets Sherlock get away with and what that says about him. I love that it wasn't just pure fluff, that there was a lot of seriousness in here, but without it being a darker fic, which made it hit all the right notes for me. (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: Bottles by Ryssabeth - [Note: There are SPOILERS for The Reichenbach Fall in this fic and this rec.] I liked this one because it was short and messy, most scenes barely more than a handful of lines, but that helped with the intimacy of everything these two felt and said and didn't say during the s2 finale. It's almost chaotic, the way it's all tangled up together, which worked so well for this piece. (Sherlock/John.)

Sherlock: The Anatomist by rosa_acicularis - I've had this fic on my to read list for probably a year now, but it wasn't until my latest foray into the fandom that I finally sat down with it. I'd started it previously and found it amazing, but I wasn't quite 100% into the fandom yet (despite adoring the show). Well, this time my fandom excursion has gone better (obviously), so I sat down to start over with this fic from the beginning and couldn't put it down until I was done. It is a gorgeous look at a, "What if?" scenario (well, it was written during the hiatus between s1 and s2, which made it canon compliant up to the end of the first series, but it still stands as an amazing "What if?" story), where Molly Hooper is actually Molly Moriarty, the twin sister to James. It's a gorgeous look at the twins and why they do what they do, not just making them raging psychopaths, but they're actually quite different, even when many of their goals are the same. It's a gorgeous exploration of Molly's character, who is recognizably the character we see on-screen, who makes sense with the character we see on screen, only with all these extra layers of twistedness.

The relationship between her and Jim, the way they casually nearly kill each other constantly, the way their childhood flashbacks are so disturbing and woven together with their disturbing present, the way they nearly balance each other (Jim being so flashy, Molly being quiet and detail-oriented, Jim in the spotlight, Molly in the shadows) is stunning. The way Molly manages to fly under Sherlock's radar works so well, her interest in him is beautifully done as well. And the ending is nothing short of perfection! I definitely wish I could write a better rec for this fic, because I loved it so much, it's one of the most satisfying Molly pieces I've read, it's one of the best Sherlock pieces I've read, just for the sheer cleverness of it and how it works with the canon. One of my must-read fics. (Dark themes, hints of incest, violence.)

Sherlock: Before I Sleep by Watcher.mine - Ahhh, I clicked onto this fic almost at random, not sure what I would be getting, and so I was a bit wary, of course. And then I just sort of sunk into this fic, which is a series of three scenes on a snowy day, with Sherlock, John, and the people around them. The first is just them, the second is an amazing visit from Mycroft, and the third a lovely visit from Lestrade. Each of these scenes is wonderful for showing bits of insight into the characters and just being really charming! I have to admit, the middle scene is my favorite--Mycroft spending a few hours in the flat with Sherlock and John is amazing, even when nothing major happens. I would read that kind of fic all day long, especially when written like this, which is really excellent writing. (No warnings/pairings.)